Device for producing cigarette packages

Abstract

For the production of cigarette groups ( 11 ) having a formation comprising a plurality of vertical rows of cigarettes ( 10 ) arranged one beside the other, after pushing a corresponding number of cigarettes ( 10 ) out of shafts ( 13 ) of a cigarette magazine ( 12 ), a transverse displacement of the cigarettes ( 10 ) is required in order to arrange same in a tightly packed or saddle configuration. At least marginal push rods ( 18 ) for pushing the cigarettes ( 10 ) out of the shafts ( 13 ) of the cigarette magazine ( 12 ) can be displaced transversely together with the cigarettes.

1. An apparatus for producing cigarette packs for a formed cigarette group ( 11 ) which can be pushed out of a cigarette magazine ( 12 ) containing vertical shafts ( 13 ) for a respective row of stacked cigarettes ( 10 ), the cigarette group ( 11 ), subsequent to the shafts ( 13 ), being able to be transported along a conveying section containing a shaped part ( 26 ) for forming the cigarette group ( 11 ) and to be pushed into a pocket ( 20 ) of cigarette conveyor ( 21 ), characterized in that
 at least some of the cigarettes ( 10 ), preferably arranged in vertical rows ( 22 ,  23 ) in the cigarette group ( 11 ), and at least lateral push rods ( 18 ) can be moved transversely in the region of the shaped part ( 26 ) in order to produce the formation of the cigarette group ( 11 ) with directly adjacent cigarettes ( 10 ), and 
 the arm-like push rods ( 15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ) for each shaft ( 13 ) of the cigarette magazine ( 12 ) are designed with a different effective height for seizing different numbers of cigarettes ( 10 ) per shaft ( 13 ), in particular for seizing either two or three stacked cigarettes ( 10 ), push rods ( 16 ,  18 ) with a relatively small overall height for seizing, in particular, two cigarettes ( 10 ) being arranged at a distance from a lower push-out plane of the cigarette magazine ( 12 ), in particular at a distance from a base plate ( 24 ), in such a way that the pushed-out cigarettes ( 10 ) of the shaft ( 13 ) in question are offset in terms of height with respect to cigarettes ( 10 ) of adjacent shafts ( 13 ) during the pushing-out operation. 
 
   
   
     2. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that,
 in order to determine different relative positions of cigarettes ( 10 ) in the adjacent shafts ( 13 ), at least individual shafts ( 13 ) have at their bottom end supporting elements which support the respectively lower cigarette ( 10 ) in a shaft ( 13 ) while fixing a relative position with respect to cigarettes ( 10 ) of adjacent shafts ( 13 ), the elevations or supporting elements being designed as ribs, specifically bottom ribs ( 25 ). 
 
   
   
     3. An apparatus for producing cigarette packs for a formed cigarette group ( 11 ) which can be pushed out of a cigarette magazine ( 12 ) containing vertical shafts ( 13 ) for a respective row of stacked cigarettes ( 10 ), the cigarette group ( 11 ), subsequent to the shafts ( 13 ), being able to be transported along a conveying section containing a shaped part ( 26 ) for forming the cigarette group ( 11 ) and to be pushed into a pocket ( 20 ) of a cigarette conveyor ( 21 ), characterized in that
 at least some of the cigarettes ( 10 ), preferably arranged in vertical rows ( 22 ,  23 ) in the cigarette group ( 11 ), and at least lateral push rods ( 18 ) can be moved transversely in the region of the shaped part ( 26 ) in order to produce the formation of the group ( 11 ) with directly adjacent cigarettes ( 10 ). 
 in order to determine different relative positions of cigarettes ( 10 ) in the adjacent shafts ( 13 ), at least individual shafts ( 13 ) have at their bottom end supporting elements which support the respectively lower cigarette ( 10 ) in a shaft ( 13 ) while fixing a relative position with respect to cigarettes ( 10 ) of adjacent shafts ( 13 ), the elevations or supporting elements being designed as ribs, specifically bottom ribs ( 25 ), and 
 the ribs, specifically bottom ribs ( 25 ), extend in the region of the shaped part ( 26 ) subsequent to the cigarette magazine ( 12 ), preferably as an uninterrupted continuation of the bottom ribs ( 25 ) in the region of the shafts ( 13 ). 
 
   
   
     4. The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the shaped part ( 26 ) is designed as a channel of closed cross section, ribs being arranged in the region of the base plate ( 24 ) and a covering wall ( 28 ), specifically bottom ribs ( 24 ) and top ribs ( 29 ), in each case in the region of vertical rows ( 23 ) of cigarettes ( 10 ) with a smaller number of cigarettes ( 10 ). 
   
   
     5. An apparatus for producing cigarette packs for a formed cigarette group ( 11 ) which can be pushed out of a cigarette magazine ( 12 ) containing vertical shafts ( 13 ) for a respective row of stacked cigarettes ( 10 ), the cigarette group ( 11 ), subsequent to the shafts ( 13 ), being able to be transported along a conveying section containing a shaped part ( 26 ) for forming the cigarette group ( 11 ) and to be pushed into a pocket ( 20 ) of a cigarette conveyor ( 21 ),characterized in that
 at least some of the cigarettes ( 10 ), preferably arranged in vertical rows ( 22 ,  23 ) in the cigarette group ( 11 ), and at least lateral push rods ( 18 ) can be moved transversely in the region of the shaped part ( 26 ) in order to produce the formation of the cigarette group ( 11 ) with directly adjacent cigarettes ( 10 ). 
 in order to determine different relative positions of cigarettes ( 10 ) in the adjacent shafts ( 13 ), at least individual shafts ( 13 ) have at their bottom end supporting elements which support the respectively lower cigarette ( 10 ) in a shaft ( 13 ) while fixing a relative position with respect to cigarettes ( 10 ) of adjacent shafts ( 13 ), the elevations or supporting elements being designed as ribs, specifically bottom ribs ( 25 ), and 
 the ribs-bottom ribs ( 25 ), top ribs ( 29 )— in the region of the shaped part ( 26 ) follow the-transversely directed-displacement of the associated cigarettes ( 10 ) or rows ( 22 ,  23 ), in particular as a result of the converging course of the ribs. 
 
   
   
     6. An apparatus for producing cigarette packs for a formed cigarette group ( 11 ) which can be pushed out of a cigarette magazine ( 12 ) containing vertical shafts ( 13 ) for a respective row of stacked cigarettes ( 10 ), the cigarette group ( 11 ), subsequent to the shafts ( 13 ), being able to be transported along a conveying section containing a shaped part ( 26 ) for forming the cigarette group ( 11 ) and to be pushed into a pocket ( 20 ) of a cigarette conveyor ( 21 ), characterized in that
 at least some of the cigarettes ( 10 ), preferably arranged in vertical rows ( 22 ,  23 ) in the cigarette group ( 11 ), and at least lateral push rods ( 18 ) can be moved transversely in the region of the shaped part ( 26 ) in order to produce the formation of the cigarette group ( 11 ) with directly adjacent cigarettes ( 10 ). 
 in order to form a cigarette group ( 11 ), the cigarettes ( 10 ) can be displaced in the transverse direction after exiting the cigarette magazine ( 12 ) in order to position the cigarettes ( 10 ) in a tightly packed configuration, at least marginal push rots ( 18 ) being able to move transversely, preferably with elastic deformation, with the associated cigarettes ( 10 ) in the region of the shaped part ( 26 ), and 
 the at least marginal push rods ( 18 ) bear against a supporting or guiding element, in particular against a supporting roller ( 32 ) outside the region of the cigarette magazine ( 12 ), it being possible, owing to the relative position of the supporting roller ( 32 ) on the one hand and the shape and position of the push rods ( 18 ) on the other hand, for said push rods to be moved transversely in the region of the shaped part ( 26 ) by elastic deformation as a result of bearing against the supporting roller ( 32 ). 
 
   
   
     7. An apparatus for producing cigarette packs for a formed cigarette group ( 11 ) which can be pushed out of a cigarette magazine ( 12 ) containing vertical shafts ( 13 ) for a respective row of stacked cigarettes ( 10 ), the cigarette group ( 11 ), subsequent to the shafts ( 13 ), being able to be transported along a conveying section containing a shaped part ( 26 ) for forming the cigarette group ( 11 ) and to be pushed into a pocket ( 20 ) of a cigarette conveyor ( 21 ), characterized in that
 at least some of the cigarettes ( 10 ), preferably arranged in vertical rows ( 22 ,  23 ) in the cigarette group ( 11 ), and at least lateral push rods ( 18 ) can be moved transversely in the region of the shaped part ( 26 ) in order to produce the formation of the cigarette group ( 11 ) with directly adjacent cigarettes ( 10 ). 
 in order to determine different relative positions of cigarettes ( 10 ) in the adjacent shafts ( 13 ), at least individual shafts ( 13 ) have at their bottom end supporting elements which support the respectively lower cigarette ( 10 ) in a shaft ( 13 ) while fixing a relative position with respect to cigarettes ( 10 ) of adjacent shafts ( 13 ), the elevations or supporting elements being designed as ribs, specifically bottom ribs ( 25 ), and 
 pockets ( 20 ) of a cigarette conveyor ( 21 ) adjoining the cigarette magazine ( 12 ) or the shaped part ( 26 ) have rib-like projections ( 36 ,  37 ) in a continuation or extension of the bottom ribs ( 25 ) and top ribs ( 29 ). 
 
   
   
     8. An apparatus for forming cigarette groups ( 11 ) that can be pushed by push rods ( 18 ) out of a cigarette magazine ( 12 ) with adjacently disposed upright shafts ( 13 ) for a respective row of cigarettes ( 10 ) lying one above the other, said apparatus being adapted to transport the cigarette groups ( 11 ), after they have exited the cigarette magazine ( 12 ), along a conveying section containing a funnel-shaped part ( 26 ) having converging side walls ( 27 ) for the purpose of shifting cigarettes ( 10 ) within the cigarette group ( 11 ) in a transverse direction and to insert said cigarette groups ( 11 ) into a pocket ( 20 ) of a cigarette conveyor ( 21 ), characterized by the following features:
 a) rows ( 23 ) at the margins of the cigarette group ( 11 ) comprise in each case at least two cigarettes arranged one above the other, 
 b) rows ( 22 ) adjacent to the marginal rows ( 23 ) comprise at least three cigarettes ( 10 ) arranged one above the other, 
 c) the cigarettes ( 10 ) of the marginal rows ( 23 ) are offset in terms of height with respect to cigarettes ( 10 ) of the adjacent rows ( 22 ), and 
 d) at least one push rod ( 18 ), assigned to the marginal row ( 23 ) of cigarettes ( 10 ), IS nsversely movable with elastic deformation in a region of the funnel-shaped part ( 26 ), corresponding to a transverse displacement of an associated row ( 23 ) of cigarettes ( 10 ) during a conveying movement in a region of the funnel-shaped part ( 26 ). 
 
   
   
     9. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the arm-like push rods ( 15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  18 ) for each shaft ( 13 ) of the cigarette magazine ( 12 ) are designed with a different effective height for seizing different numbers of cigarettes ( 10 ) per shaft ( 13 ), in particular for seizing alternatively either two or three stacked cigarettes ( 10 ), push rods ( 16 ,  18 ) with a relatively small overall height for seizing, in particular, two cigarettes ( 10 ) being arranged at a distance from a lower push-out plane of the cigarette magazine ( 12 ), in particular at a distance from a base plate ( 24 ), in such a way that the pushed-out cigarettes ( 10 ) of the shaft ( 13 ) in question are offset in terms of height with respect to cigarettes ( 10 ) of adjacent shafts ( 13 ) during the pushing-out operation. 
   
   
     10. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , characterized in that, in order to determine different relative positions of cigarettes ( 10 ) in adjacent shafts ( 13 ), at least individual shafts ( 13 ) have at their bottom end supporting elements, namely bottom ribs ( 25 ), which support the respectively lower cigarette ( 10 ) in a shaft ( 13 ) while fixing a relative position with respect to cigarettes ( 10 ) of adjacent shafts ( 13 ). 
   
   
     11. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the bottom ribs ( 25 ) extend in the region of the shaped part ( 26 ) subsequent to the cigarette magazine ( 12 ), preferably as an uninterrupted continuation of the bottom ribs ( 25 ) in the region of the shafts ( 13 ). 
   
   
     12. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the shaped part ( 26 ) is designed as a channel of closed cross section, the ribs being arranged at the base plate ( 24 ) as well as at a covering wall ( 28 ) of the shaped part ( 26 ), namely bottom ribs ( 25 ) and top ribs ( 29 ), in each case in the region of vertical rows ( 23 ) of cigarettes ( 10 ) with a smaller number of cigarettes ( 10 ) as adjacent rows ( 22 ). 
   
   
     13. The apparatus according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the bottom ribs ( 25 ) and the top ribs ( 29 ) in the region of the shaped part ( 26 ) follow the transversely-directed displacement of the associated cigarettes ( 10 ) or rows ( 22 ,  23 ), in particular as a result of the converging course of the ribs ( 25 ,  29 ). 
   
   
     14. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , characterized in that at least marginal push rods ( 18 ) bear against a supporting or guiding element, in particular against a supporting roller ( 32 ) outside the region of the cigarette magazine ( 12 ), it being possible, owing to the relative position of the supporting roller ( 32 ) on the one hand and the shape and position of the push rods ( 18 ) on the other hand, for said push rods to be moved transversely in the region of the shaped part ( 26 ) by elastic deformation as a result of bearing against the supporting rollers ( 32 ). 
   
   
     15. The apparatus according to  claim 8 , characterized in that cigarettes ( 10 ) of marginal rows ( 22 ,  23 ) can be moved transversely relative to the associated push rods ( 16 ,  17 ), and end faces ( 34 ,  35 ) of the push rods ( 16 ,  17 ) are directed obliquely corresponding to the transverse movement of the cigarettes ( 10 ). 
   
   
     16. The apparatus according to  claim 12 , characterized in that pockets ( 20 ) of a cigarette conveyor ( 21 ) adjoining the cigarette magazine ( 12 ) or the shaped part ( 26 ) have rib-like projections ( 36 ,  37 ) in a continuation or extension of the bottom ribs ( 25 ) and top ribs ( 29 ).